Box Contents

The Semper Fidelis – US Marines Starter Army is a mix of plastic and metal models containing:

• 7 USMC Infantry sprues (42 Infantry) – Plastic
• 1 M3A1 Half-track – Plastic
• 1 Corpsman (Medic) – Metal
• Flamethrower Ream – Metal
• 1 Medium Mortar Team – Metal
• 1 Light Anti-Tank Gun – Metal
• 2 MMG Teams – Metal
• 2 US weapon sprues – Plastic

The Mixed Quality List

Standard Reinforced Platoon
Officer
2nd Lt (SMG) – Regular – 50 x1 Buddy (SMG) – 10	60pts
Infantry
Veteran Marine Squad (Mid/Late) – 10 men – Veteran – 130 x3 BAR – 15 x3 Pistols and Rifles – 3 Stubborn – 10	158pts
Veteran Marine Squad (Mid/Late) – 10 men – Veteran – 130 x3 BAR – 15 x3 Pistols and Rifles – 3	148pts
Regular US Marine Squad (Mid/Late) – 10 men – Regular – 100 x3 BAR – 15	115pts
Veteran Engineer Squad (Late) – 8 men – Veteran – 104 NCO SMG – 3 x1 SMG – 3 x1 Flamethrower – 20 x2 BAR – 10	130pts
Medium Mortar Team – Regular – 50 Spotter – 10	60pts
Bazooka Team – Regular	60pts
Sniper Team – Regular	50pts
MMG Team – Inexp.	35pts
MMG Team – Inexp.	35pts
Artillery
37mm Light AT Gun – Inexp. Gun shield	40pts
Transport
M3 Half-track – Regular Pintle HMG	99pts
Total – 12 Order Dice	1000pts

Breakdown

(x) denotes a vehicle-mounted weapons.

Notes and Analysis

The objective of this list is two part – 1) use as many of the components from the Starter Army as possible and 2) make a List that work at a competitive level. Please in mind, this List was written using only the content of the Starter Army.

I want to take every single model as I’ve paid for them so I might as well use them. You get 7 sprues of 6 figures (42 models) plus a Flamethrower Team and a metal Medic (45 models). I break these down into the following:

• 2×10 man Vet marine squads with x3 BARs
• 10 man Reg Marine Squad with x3 BARs
• 8 man Vet Engineer squad (with Flamethrower, 2 SMGs, 2 BARs)
• 2 man Sniper Team
• 2 man Bazooka Team
• 2 man HQ Team (with SMGs, glue a SMG to the Medic and your golden)
• 1 man spare as the Mortar Spotter

Then I use both MMG Teams, the Light AT Gun and the Halftrack.

The idea is that you have three solid Marine squads with BARs who can do the bulk of the work. I know 10 man squads sounds extra fancy but they are big enough to take a beating and dish out some punishment. Veteran gives them fair survivability and the BARs and Rifles give them plenty of fire power and mobility (Fire and Maneuver is the best). Three squads also allow for a squad on each flank and in the center so you have tactical control.

The Engineer squad in the Halftrack can stay in Reserve and plug any gaps with the Flamethrower doing a lot of the heavy lifting (the Bazooka Team can ride along with them if needed as can the HQ unit with SMGs). Protect this unit, keep it out of sight and pounce when you need to, it’s powerful but will be a target.

The Sniper and Mortar Team do what all Snipers and Mortars do, stress out the opponent in various ways. The Bazooka has decent range and should be used to scare enemy armor or at least give your opponent pause, 24 inch range is powerful.

The Inexperienced AT Gun and Machine Gun Teams will sit on objectives and distract the enemy, if they get shot at then just go Down, but all three crews are so cheap that they work as excellent distractions when they get targeted. Those machine gun crews are 35pts but can dish out 5 shots at 36 inches which covers much of the board, stick them on ambush if no decent targets present themselves and open fire when the enemy wanders into your sights. It really is the USMC Squads that do the actual work but because they are so much harder to shift than the Inexperienced Teams, so you opponent is constantly having to decide between easier kills or not. 

Yes your anti-tank is weak but you have a Flamethrower, Bazooka and Anti-Tank Gun so you have some options. If a high value tank is trading shots with your AT Gun or Bazooka then you are already winning on points even if they do no more than distract. Play “ignore the tank” and focus on the objectives, if your opponent has no squads left to hold things then you have won anyway.

You also have a very tasty 12 Order Dice, use this advantage, your force needs to work together and you have plenty of long range options, make your opponent work for board space and pound them into the dust.

– Stephen